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Thursday, January 5, 2012

We have seen the Northern Lights

Today we visited Tromso which is the most northerly something in the world. They did tell us what but I have forgotten. Everything up here is the northern most something.

Last night we stayed up late so that Gwenyth could beat me at Yahtzee and had to do this in the bar because that was the only place we could get a drink.

The only white wine we could get was the Hurtigruten house wine which was Portuguese and had a frisson of Avgas about it but was otherwise acceptable – and was half the price of the wine we normally drink.

The downside was that there was a two-piece band that played prehistoric music (quite well as it happens) but who dressed like they were out of the Rocky Horror musical and the woman looked like she had been hung out to dry in a wind tunnel before coming to work.

After this we went on deck where it was freezing and windy but miraculously after about half an hour – at about 11:30 PM – the Northern Lights appeared directly in front of us.

It was not a magical display but it was wonderful to see them at last. I put my flask full of Jameson to use and we stayed on deck for about an hour watching the lights flickering in the distant sky.

The days are very short now and there is almost no real daylight but there is enough light to see the ethereally beautiful scenery. It is impossible to describe and my limited internet access does not allow me to put any photos on Picasa but I will do this when I get back.

This morning after breakfast we had a nearly full moon which added its own magical light to the scenery.

Is it possible to cross something off someone else's bucket list? By six degrees of separation etc because I would love to see them and you're the closest thing it. I can't wait to see your photos so I can really live vicariously, wait! I think I'm already doing that. I may be delirious, probably how you feel after drinking all that Avgas.

You really do get to do some of the most extraordinary things. I really love watching it and truly appreciate how your sense of humor comes in handy whenever the foo fairy visits. Good luck on the rest of your journey.

I miss Macau: I am sorry to say we did not get any photos os the lights. They were just not bright enough. I don'y write about politics or religion much these s days as it makes people too unhappy - but thanks for all your visits.